Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina plans to pursue opportunities to overhaul and upgrade McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawks expected to be acquired by Bolivia and Brazil. The Cordoba based company, which is upgrading A-4s for Argentina, also hopes to participate in a proposed upgrade of the Argentine air force's Dassault Mirages.
Argentina's upgraded A-4AR was displayed for the first time at the show. Five aircraft have been delivered to the air force so far. The first nine of the ex-US Marine Corps A-4Ms are being upgraded by Lockheed Martin in the USA, while work on the remaining 27 will be performed in Argentina. The first Cordoba upgraded aircraft is due to be delivered in late July.
The Argentine air force is considering acquiring 18 ex-US Navy TA-4Js for use as advanced trainers. Bolivia is also looking at 18 used TA-4Js, while Brazil is to acquire 23 ex-Kuwaiti A/TA-4s for its aircraft carrier, and Lockheed Martin's Argentine operation plans to bid to overhaul these aircraft, and possibly upgrade them later.
If Argentina acquires TA-4Js, it will postpone any requirement for new advanced trainers, Lockheed Martin acknowledges. The company has proposed restarting production of the locally designed IA-63 Pampa jet trainer, but says that it needs orders for at least 100.
The Cordoba plant is studying an upgrade of the air force's existing IA-63s and is extending the service life of 30 Beech T-34 basic trainers. Lockheed Martin is offering Argentina, and other countries in the region, a C-130 cockpit standardisation upgrade developed for the Spanish air force. The parent company is considering using its Argentine operation to upgrade C-130s being traded in by Australia and the UK as part of deals to purchase new C-130Js.
Source: Flight International
